Who does this guy think he is?

Luke 7:36-50 NASB

Now one of the Pharisees was requesting Him to dine with him, and He entered the Pharisee’s house and reclined  at the table.   And there was a woman in the city who was a sinner; and when she learned that He was reclining  at the table  in the Pharisee’s house, she brought an alabaster vial of perfume,  and standing behind  Him  at His feet, weeping, she began to wet His feet with her tears, and kept wiping them with the hair of her head, and kissing His feet and anointing them with the perfume. 

Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he said to himself, "If this man were a prophet He would know who and what sort of person this woman is who is touching Him, that she is a sinner." 

And Jesus answered him, "Simon, I have something to say to you." And he replied, "Say it, Teacher." 

"A moneylender had two debtors: one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty.  "When they were unable to repay, he graciously forgave them both. So which of them will love him more?" 

Simon answered and said, "I suppose the one whom he forgave more." And He said to him, "You have judged correctly." 

Turning toward the woman, He said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has wet My feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair.  "You gave Me no kiss; but she, since the time I came in, has not ceased to kiss My feet.  "You did not anoint My head with oil, but she anointed My feet with perfume.  "For this reason I say to you, her sins, which are many, have been forgiven, for she loved much; but he who is forgiven little, loves little." 

Then He said to her, "Your sins have been forgiven." 

Those who were reclining  at the table  with Him began to say to themselves, "Who is this  man  who even forgives sins?" 

And He said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you; go in peace."

My thoughts -

Who does this guy think he is?

The "good" religious people asked that a lot about Jesus. He spent a lot of time with the "wrong" crowd. He didn't hold conventional views. He shirked tradition. He attracted a lot of attention from "questionable" people like the woman in this story. And he seemed to have delusions of grandeur.

How many healings would it take for them to see Jesus for who he was/is? How many times would he have needed to raise the dead for them to get it?

That's the thing. Jesus didn't just talk the talk. He performed signs and miracles at every turn. But you can't convince people who already know everything of anything. The "good" religious people knew what "good" religious people look like. Jesus wasn't one of them. How could he be the Saviour? How could he be the Son of God?

The woman approached Jesus with humility and passionate, desperate affection. She knew what Jesus had done for her. She knew she was a sinner. Jesus came to reconcile us sinners to God. There is nothing better than that in the entire Universe.

But the "good" religious people aren't sinners, right? They're the good guys. A shining example for all those sinners to look up to. They've got it down. And if you work hard enough at it you can be just like them. Well, maybe not just like them. They are pretty darn good. But you can certainly try to be more like them.

So the "good" religious people skip the hospitality. A sinner has to do it for them. I guess they were too busy being "good". And, of course, this woman is a little weird. What, with washing Jesus's feet with her tears and drying them with her hair. That's certainly not proper. It's odd. It's unseemly. It's inappropriate. It's something to look down on.

Of course, we "good" religious people are nothing if not good at looking down on others. But that's no way to approach Jesus. This woman approached Jesus with humility and desperate, passionate gratitude. The "good" religious people approached Jesus to straighten him out.

The Kingdom of God is no place for people who have all the answers. The Kingdom of God is no place for religious rules wielded oppressively. There's only one way in.

Jesus, have mercy on me, a sinner.